The major argument Seve Ballesteros had on the final hole at Augusta which caused him to fire his caddie

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Seve Ballesteros, one of golf’s most beloved figures, was renowned for his passionate and intense approach to the game.

This fiery spirit, while contributing to his legendary status as a five-time major winner, often manifested in demonstrative celebrations and frustrations. That made Seve Ballesteros the idol of numerous PGA Tour players, including Jon Rahm, who has Ballesteros on his Mount Rushmore of golfers.

The Spaniard clashed with rules officials and opposition players as his competitiveness could spill over. And occasionally, there would be instances of friendly fire during the heat of battle.

Legendary caddie Billy Foster experienced this first-hand, and recounted a clash between the pair at the 1995 Masters, which led to Foster’s dismissal after the tournament.

Billy Foster says Seve Ballesteros was going ‘a bit mad’ at the end of his prime 

In the mid-90s, Ballesteros’ prime was starting to come to a close. A series of back injuries had begun to take their toll, and while he could still recapture his brilliant best on occasions, Ballesteros was unable to play to his potential week in, week out.

That was frustrating for him, according to Foster, who saw the effect that his late-career form was having on Ballesteros first-hand.

Speaking on The Rick Sheils Golf Show, Foster recounted how Ballesteros behaved when his best days were behind him: “I think he was going a bit mad, to be honest with you. Stupid little things were said. It would be like Billy, give me some tee pegs.

“So I would unzip the bag and go, ‘Here you go, mate.’ And he would say, ‘Why have you not got tee pegs in your pocket, you son of a b—h. How many times do I have to tell you?’ Every day, there was another niggle or nudge or poke at you. He was up and down.

“He would play great for three months, and then like me for nine months, and then great again for three months. I got the last dregs out of him. We won eight tournaments and good tournaments, the PGA Championship and the World Matchplay.

“But he was driving me insane, and I could feel the volcano building.”

And at The Masters, he erupted, and it was the end of Foster and Ballesteros’ relationship.

Why Seve Ballesteros fired Billy Foster after the 1995 Masters

37-year-old Ballesteros endured a frustrating time at the 1995 Masters. He finished T45 at eight-over par, as the two-time Masters winner, Ballesteros, was unable to reach into his usual bag of tricks. But his lacklustre performance at Augusta didn’t cool his temperament. Instead, he grew so frustrated with his showing that it cost Foster his job.

He explained: “An incident happened on the 17th at Augusta. He wanted to hit a seven iron, and I wanted him to hit a six iron. It was a back left pin on the 17th. Eventually, he has gone with what I said, he has hit this six iron, it rolled past the hole and it fell a yard off the green, but the pin is right in the back left.

“It’s an easy chip, it’s like 18 feet from the hole, 20 feet max. Seve Ballesteros, it’s a straight chip up the hill, and he’s chipped it five foot past. You just know as a caddie he is not going to bail you out.

“I am praying, please hole it, and he misses it. I got the biggest rollocking. Four times before I had even got off the green. We were walking to the 18th tee and he stopped and gave me another one. Destroying me. I was like I am gone now. If he has one more go on 18 I am going to erupt.

“So we got to the 18th and we were playing with Ray Floyd and Steve Williams was caddying for him. And he stops and serves me another one. I honestly from my belly screamed as loud as I could, they could hear me from the club house, ‘I f—-g heard you! Alright!’

“He went [gasped]. He teed off and blanked me. Didn’t speak to me for the rest of the round. His brother says Seve wants to see you on the range, so I went to the range and I had to go out on to the range and pace off how far his wedges were flying.

“I walked out 130 yards and the balls are landing and every one that bounces up I was heading every one of them. 15 in a row I headed them.

“He was like ‘Are you crazy?’ And he waves me in. So he says we need to talk, we will go to the side of the clubhouse and have a chat. And all the cats and dogs came out. I just ripped him to pieces. If it had been a fight, the ref would have thrown a towel in after a round in my favour. I absolutely destroyed him.

“He was like I love you like my brother, I treat you like my brother. I said I wouldn’t want to be your brother then!’ And that was on the Wednesday. So I still caddied the Masters. I caddied Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

“So I flew home on the Monday and as I got to my house on the Tuesday morning, I am opening the back door of my terraced house and the phone was ringing. It was Seve’s manager and he said ‘Billy, you are no longer required’. He wanted me to come back a couple of months later, but I had moved on with Darren Clarke by then, who was 25 and an upcoming stud, so I obviously stayed with Darren.”

It was a wise move to stay with Clarke. When a relationship has got to the point where you are heading golf balls away at the driving range, it’s probably time to move on!